Father of Compassion
I just love it when somebody goes to bat for me, when they step up to the plate and take a big swing! Allison Carlson, founder of An Open Chair, Inc., has set aside April, May and June to help Rivers of the World (ROW). The proceeds from the sales of all of her little chairs will help us do our ministry around the world.
Based in Chesapeake, Va., An Open Chair, Inc. was created to enhance the lives of people in need. According to its web site, www.anopenchair.com, the company believes “Through hope, peace and unity we can make a difference in our ever changing world. We provide our partners with heart felt products that emanate the powerful spiritual presence in all of us. Our strength comes from the relationships we have with our Chair Holders.”
This is an opportunity to place a little chair beside a child or a loved one and remind them that the Lord is with us in all that we face. The Lord is with us in our joys and in our sorrows. These little chairs are symbolic reminders of God’s constant presence in our lives. The chairs are designed to gives us a way to focus our prayers and our concerns as we lift them to the Lord.
I’ll be traveling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the end of May and will be visiting our orphanage in Kinshasa, which houses 30 children. We must raise $5,000 to ensure that these kids have food, clothes and medical care for a year. That amounts to less than $200 a child annually! I plan on delivering a little chair to each child to remind them of God’s eternal presence in their lives.
We have a wonderful assurance from God given to His people as the Apostle Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
We all face various trials, disappointments and sorrows during our journey as a Christian. God never promises us that He will remove our hurt and suffering. Instead, He assures us that He is sufficient in providing us the comfort and encouragement that we need. Christ sustains us during our darkest hours so that when we emerge victoriously, we will be able to in turn comfort and encourage others.
